On Monday February 4, 2018, in Santo Domingo, more than 60 representatives from NGOs and regional, subregional and national networks of women and feminists from Latin America and the Caribbean met in the NGOs Consultation towards CSW62, organized by the NGO Committee CSW LAC. The Consultation was opened with the welcoming words of the Minister of Women from the Dominican Republic, Ms. Janet Camilo and the Regional Director of the UN Women Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, Mrs. Luiza Carvalho.

On Monday, February 4, the Consultation Meeting for CSW62 was held. After that, Mabel Bianco, Marcela Ballara, Susana Chiarotti and Tarcila Rivera from the NGO CSW LAC presented the main issue to be discussed and characterized the problem of rural, indigenous and Afro-descendant women in our region. This was completed with the presentation of the Meeting Conclusions of Indigenous Women held in Panama, made by Otilia Lux, and with comments from Dorotea Wilson, from the Network of Afro-Latin American, Afro-Caribbean and Diaspora Women and Nicole Hendrickson from Grassroots Organization Operating Together in Sisterhood, from Trinidad and Tobago, about the characteristics of the main problems of women in English-speaking countries of the region. Then, it was opened to the general panel discussion, in which one the different members participated. After that, they proceeded to work into six working groups to consider, based on this scenario of women living in the rural context in the region, which proposals would be presented to the governments to adopt in order to improve conditions of women and children. Each group had a coordinator and a relator, and that day, at 16 PM the proposals were presented and discussed, and finally approved for submission in plenary. A Commission to draft was designated and was chosen the representatives that were going to present the conclusions in the Preparatory Meeting on Tuesday February 5. Link to Recommendations Final Document of NGOs Consultation in english.

REGIONAL PREPARATORY MEETING TO CSW62

On Tuesday, February 5 at 9 AM Ministers and others authorities of the women’s areas from the countries of the region attended the meeting. There was a significant assistance, with the presence of a large majority of the countries, including English- speaking countries of the region. After the inauguration, a document prepared by an experts group commissioned by the Regional UN Women Office was presented. This document was commented by the FAO staff and the Program Food World. Then the presentation of the Civil Society consultation was presented. In first place, Mabel Bianco as the Co- Chair of the NGO CSW LAC presented the consultation and pointed out some of the main problems that Civil Society groups are facing in the region, emphasizing the risk of regression that fundamentalisms imply in Latin America and Caribbean countries that question and retrieve the advances to before the Beijing World Conference.

On Tuesday, February 5. Presentation of the Ministers Meeting Consultation Document. Later, Gloria Quizpe Giron (Continental Network of Indigenous Women, ECMIA) from Peru; Vanessa Rodríguez (National Confederation of Rural Women, CONAMUCA) from Republic Dominican; and Nicole Hendrickson (Grassroots Organization Operating Together in Sisterhood) from Trinidad and Tobago, presented the main proposals and to the end, Mabel Bianco requesting the assistant authorities that official delegations of the countries should incorporate women feminist organizations to the CSW, as an expression of the good relationship and articulation achieved between governments and civil society in the countries of the region. Then, asked all the representatives of NGOs in the room to greet the authorities standing up, pointing out that this contribution was possible by the work of all women. After an important dialogue between ministers and authorities about the document, it was the presentation of Ms. Tarcila Rivera, president of FIMI (World Forum of Indigenous Women)

Finally, Patricia Jaramillo, secretary of the Committee NGO CSW LAC from REPEM, Colombia, and Aidé García, Vice President of the Committee of NGO CSW LAC from Catholics for the Right to Decide, from Mexico, spoke at the close, thanked and celebrating three years ago, the Consultation of feminists and women’s organizations in the region was articulated in coordination with the Regional Preparatory Meeting for the CSW, achieving consensual positions that express regional coincidences and make it possible to make visible the region and the problems of women and girls. Link to the Preparatory Meeting Declaration in Santo Domingo in english.